1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an outboard motor control system.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, boats are commonly equipped with two or more outboard motors mounted side-by-side in what is called a “multiple outboard motor installation.” In addition, in recent years, there are proposed drive-by-wire (DBW) control systems that use actuators for driving a steering mechanism, shift mechanism and throttle valve of an internal combustion engine mounted on an outboard motor, as taught by, for example, Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 2005-319967. In the prior art, based on a steering command issued by the operator, the operation of the actuator connected to the steering mechanism is controlled to steer the outboard motor, thereby regulating a traveling direction of the boat.
However, when the outboard motor is configured so that the steering mechanism is connected to the actuator as described in the prior art, it adversely causes the increase of the outboard motor in size by a portion of the steering mechanism and actuator.